Delicious Sicilian Casserole

By
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Updated on 09/10/19
Italian tuscan sausage penne in tomato sauce
Bartosz Luczak / Getty Images
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
418 Calories
23g Fat
28g Carbs
27g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 418
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 12g 59%
Cholesterol 98mg 33%
Sodium 336mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Protein 27g
Calcium 250mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Sicilian casserole has always been a favorite at our house. We have been making this dish for decades; in fact, it was one of the first casseroles we ever made! And everyone we have ever made it for just loves it.

The cream cheese sauce and ground beef and tomato mixture combine for a fabulous casserole. The rich tomato and beef sauce is perfect with the velvety white sauce. Serve with a crisp green salad and some breadsticks or toasted garlic bread.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 2 cups elbow macaroni
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (cubed)
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

  3. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic in​ a heavy saucepan, stirring to break up ground beef. Add green bell pepper when beef is almost cooked; continue to simmer until beef is done. Drain well.

  4. Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, and dried Italian seasoning to the beef mixture and stir well to blend. Let simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

  5. Meanwhile, cook elbow macaroni as directed on package.

  6. While macaroni is cooking, combine the cream cheese and milk in a medium bowl. Cook in microwave on medium power for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.

  7. Remove the cream cheese mixture from the microwave and stir with wire whisk until sauce thickens and blends to form a smooth sauce.

  8. Drain the macaroni and add to the cream cheese sauce along with the sour cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; stir to combine.

  9. In the prepared casserole dish, place all of cream cheese mixture. Top with all of the ground beef mixtures and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

  10. Bake the dish for 20 to 30 minutes until the casserole is bubbly.

Glass Bakeware Warning

For premade casseroles or leftovers that are in a glass baking dish and have been refrigerated, do not place directly into a hot oven as the glass can shatter. Instead, place any cold glass bakeware into a cold oven to warm up while it preheats. Or, allow the bakeware to rest outside of the fridge for 30 minutes to reach room temperature while the oven preheats.

  • To freeze this casserole, add 1 tablespoon cornstarch to the cream cheese sauce. Prepare the casserole as directed, except instead of baking, chill in the refrigerator. Wrap the dish well and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw and reheat, thaw casserole overnight in​ the refrigerator. Bake, covered, for 25 to 35 minutes at 350 F, then uncover and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer until bubbly.

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